In the present work, we studied the fragmentation effect of the habitat of the desert terrestrial Isopod Hemilepistus reaumurii on the sex ratio, body size, fecundity, and sexual dimorphism of two populations located at two stations in the region of Gabes, namely Tmoula (fragmented and anthropic habitat) and Akarit Wadi (natural habitat). At both stations, specimens of H. reaumurii were collected monthly

The introduction of exotic buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) to the Sonoran Desert has modified the structure and fuel loads of desert scrub, creating a continuous fuel bed and altering fire frequencies and intensities. The damage to native vegetation has been widely acknowledged, but the mechanisms underlying the response have been little studied. Considering bark as one of the important characteristics

Archaeological surveys and excavations in the Jebel Oraf palaeolake basin, north-western Saudi Arabia, have identified a well-preserved early- to mid-Holocene landscape. Two types of occupation site can be distinguished: nine small and ephemeral scatters from single occupation phases on the slopes of sand dunes and three hearth sites indicative of repeated occupation on palaeolake shorelines. In addition

Climate change has compromised global cereal production, particularly in semiarid regions where small changes in rainfall and temperature or excessive heat can have large effects on crop productivity. Central Asia is particularly vulnerable to climate change, but the understanding of the impacts of climate change on yields is incomplete for this region. We used fixed-effect panel regressions to quantify

Forest belts play an important role in soil wind erosion control and the prevention of aeolian sand movement in arid and semiarid regions. In order to reveal the effect of plant spacing, number of rows, and arrangement on airflow of forest belt, the airflow fields were measured in a wind tunnel for artificial single-row forest belts with different plant spacings, forest belts with different numbers

Carbon fluxes and contents are integral components of the global carbon cycle. The photosynthetic and respiratory rates were measured at the levels of leaves and canopies for different community types in a typical steppe ecoregion in Xilin Gol, Inner Mongolia, Northern China. Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) content and density and above-biomass were surveyed in each community type. The results show: 1) thicketized

In the Great Basin, changes in climate and associated fire regimes may alter the density and distribution of shrubs, changing the structure and diet quality of plants in burned areas. We evaluated how the structural and phytochemical characteristics of three-tip sagebrush (Artemisia tripartita) relative to Wyoming big sagebrush (A. tridentata wyomingensis) influence the winter foraging ecology of Greater

Some of the most arid environments inhabited by the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) are the river systems draining the southern slopes of the High Atlas Mountains into the Sahara Desert, where we have studied otter distribution, habitat use and feeding ecology. We found signs of otter presence in 61% of 80 sampled sites. The species was widespread at intermediate elevations within the study area, being

Accounts of land degradation and desertification in Namibian communal rangelands have seldom illustrated the broader historical context and structural frameworks within which these social-ecological processes have emerged. This paper aims to address this gap, and argues that it is necessary to take into account past state interventions and policies so as to thoroughly understand the drivers of land

Species distribution modelling is a powerful tool that can gives us ecological insights about species distributions, and potential effects of environmental factors, in poorly known habitats. For the first time the distribution of terrestrial reptiles in Saudi Arabia was modelled, and environmental factors that affect their current distribution and richness investigated. Reptiles are a major vertebrate

The Tankwa Karoo National Park (TKNP) is part of a renowned arid biome with unrivaled diversity in succulents. The park has been subject to anthropogenic pressures such as heavy grazing with climate change a recent threat. This study investigated changes in vegetation productivity between 2000 and 2014 across six vegetation types using rainfall and satellite data. The park is broadly divided into a

This paper presents the first shallow groundwater geochemical data from the Lut Desert (Dasht-e-Lut), one of the hottest places on the planet. The waters are Na–Cl brines that have undergone extensive evaporation, but they are unlike seawater derived brines in that the K+ is low and the Ca2+ > Mg2+ and HCO3− > SO42−. In addition to evapo-concentration, the most saline samples indicate that the dissolution

Several solute-source models have been proposed to elucidate the origin of the solutes in the Gulf coastal sabkhas. The Ascending Brine hydrogeologic model has been shown to be a viable explanation for the origin of solutes in the Arabian (Persian) Gulf coastal sabkha in the UAE (United Arab Emirates). A coastal sabkha approximately 500 km northwest of the UAE sabkha and 40 km northwest of Dhahran

Core sediments from Keluke Lake in transitional zone between arid central Asia and monsoon Asia, provide insights into the advance-retreat history of the summer monsoon and the Westerlies. Sediment grain size and δ13C of authigenic carbonate reveal paleoclimatic evolution since 9.32 cal ka BP: a dry-cold climate in the early Holocene, a wet-cold climate in the early stage of mid-Holocene, a relatively

The authors explore a new approach to monitoring patches of ground with accentuated desert conditions, here called “parcels of desertification”, resulting from the relation between albedo and surface temperature values. The territory of the El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve in northwestern Sonora, Mexico serves as the example to substantiate the procedure. The region is a UNESCO

Sheep depredation by puma (Puma concolor) is a socio-environmental problem that has intensified in recent decades in Patagonia. A bounty system to control this carnivore is implemented in Chubut province (central Patagonia), whereas alternative measures to mitigate the conflict are still in progress. A common recommendation to limit livestock depredation by large carnivores is to maintain suitable

Ancient agricultural systems in the Negev Desert preserves abundant evidence of dryland farming from the Roman, Byzantine and Early Islamic periods. These systems consist of dams, field plots, field towers, cisterns and thousands of human-made stone mounds. In the environment of Shivta, these systems also included built dovecotes to produce dung to fertilize vineyards and orchards. All of these elements

Malnutrition is a major health problem especially in many developing nations. Ironically, communities that suffer from undernourishment especially in rural areas often have plenty of nutritious wild foods. However, stigma against such foods, limited seasonal availability, limited or no diversification of such foods can be hindrance to the consumption and all-year accessibility of these foods. This

Recently, an increasing number of sinkholes related to cavernous karst bedrock has been documented in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). One of the most hazardous areas is Al Jouf region, with an average annual rainfall below 35 mm. Here, crop fields irrigated with groundwater have experienced a very rapid expansion. Limited hydrogeological data indicate that the over-exploitation of the aquifers with

The animal-environment interaction is complex, and the ability to temporally organise locomotor activity provides adaptive and survival advantages. The daily and circadian rhythms of locomotor activity in the Desert hedgehog, Paraechinus aethiopicus, from the central deserts of Saudi Arabia were investigated under controlled laboratory conditions. Twelve individuals were subjected to different light

Many smallholder farmers in semi-arid areas continue to face increasing threats of agricultural drought exacerbated by a rapidly changing climate. This calls for increased understanding of farmers' drought response experiences and perceptions for better agricultural production. This study assessed the smallholder farmers’ perceived evaluation of drought adaptation technologies, constraints and opportunities

Highly mobile animals in the world's drylands can have distinct core and irruptive ranges with the latter being occupied only during population outbreaks driven by resource pulses. Breeding events occur within the irruptive range during these periods of high resource availability. Here we quantify such an event involving the letter-winged kite (Elanus scriptus) in the Simpson Desert, Australia; a region

Nurse tree canopies mitigate exposure to freezing temperatures that could result in injury or mortality to the saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea). Abiotic objects have been hypothesized to provide similar beneficial microclimates. We used data loggers at 11 nurse rock sites to record daily daytime summer maximum and winter nighttime minimum temperatures at Saguaro National Park, Arizona, to examine

Key to the sustainable management of rangelands is identifying socioeconomic and ecological threats to the structure and function of historically grazed ecosystems. We studied how recent anthropogenic factors associated with globalization and urbanization could affect habitat quality and biodiversity as well as actors in a historically grazed rangeland basin in Iran. We used an approach that integrated

Archaeological excavations of the ancient city of Sumhuram (2nd century BC- 5th century AD), a port along the frankincense trade route in Dhofar, Southern Oman, offered the chance to gain new insights into the diet of the inhabitants. In spite of the mainly sandy nature of the sediments in the site, which does not favour good preservation of plant materials, pollen analyses and sporadic findings of

Understanding the mechanisms underpinning nest-site selection offers novel insights about selective forces shaping the breeding ecology of birds, and provides vital information for conservation planning. We evaluated and compared nest-site selection and breeding success of Vermilion Flycatchers (VEFL) and Fork-tailed Flycatchers (FTFL) in areas with and without livestock in the Espinal biome of La

Desert lakes are among the world's most threatened ecosystems, but they are clearly less studied when compared to lakes in more moist regions. The Badain Jaran desert is an exceptional desert due to the presence of numerous megadunes and over hundred small lakes which exhibit large variation in pH and salinity. These lakes have received surprisingly small attention in terms of aquatic ecology and only

The oases of Morocco, located between the Mediterranean and the Sahara ecoregions, constitute the main defence system of the temperate region against desert encroachment. This study aims to determine species richness and distribution of native and non-native ants in the oases of southern Morocco. Survey campaigns were conducted in 11 oases between March and May 2017. Thirty-four ant species belonging

Biocrusts presented their highest expression in the inter-patches. However, an increase in the level of aridity along the landscape could lead to vascular plants to make a notable influence on the spatial distribution of biocrusts. Our objective was to determine the spatial variation of the vascular plant interactions with biocrusts, and the individual variations of biocrusts and each of its components

Macropores created by invertebrates improve ecosystem functions such as soil properties and hydrological processes. In semi-arid savannas, where water is the main limiting resource and precipitation is scarce macropores might increase infiltration, and thereby improve water availability for plants. Macropores may therefore represent a buffering mechanism counteracting degradation in the form of shrub-encroachment

Soil microbial communities, which play important roles in biogeochemical cycling, are affected by plants in many ways. To understand how plants affect soil microbes, we compared soils under halophytic shrubs and herbs, whose effects on soil salinity (one of the strongest determining factors for soil microbes in saline grasslands) were different. We measured soil physicochemical properties, as well

In arid and semi-arid regions, unregulated land use changes as a result of poor planning, and the expansion of agricultural and livestock activities increase the risk of desertification and other potentially severe environmental impacts. Several consequences of improper land management practices are soil deterioration and erosion, which may be intensified by meteorological events. This paper presents

The term South American Arid Diagonal (SAAD) has been, and still is, widely used by the scientific community working in South America's drylands. The present research relies on the assumption that such usage is made in a superficial manner, the SAAD being solely a locational reference which is systematically used by specialists in diverse disciplines to spatially circumscribe their work, but without

Plant checklists constitute the fundamental knowledge on which further hypotheses of ecology, evolution, and biodiversity conservation are built. Here, we compiled a comprehensive and taxonomically verified checklist of the flowering plant species occurring in the Caatinga. We circumscribe Caatinga to include only the dry deciduous vegetation in Northeast Brazil, corresponding to the largest continuous

Drought-induced mortality has been reported in many forest biomes around the world. In recent years, large-scale forest mortality has been observed across northern China, with forests exhibiting widespread crown dieback symptoms. Previous reports have attributed dieback and mortality to drought stress. In this study, a field survey was undertaken along two transects in northern China. Our aims were

Species richness has become the common currency of studies of biodiversity. Here we consider measures of species richness for the birds of the arid Karoo region of South Africa. We measured species richness at two scales: at the broad-scale using pentads (5 × 5′); and at the fine scale, using point counts to determine important landscape features. Point counts within randomly selected pentads were

Management of environmental resources presents challenges across agricultural production. In the case of the semi-arid region of Arava Valley in Israel irrigation with groundwater brackish water is a widespread practice that has severe limitations. In this research studies are taking place for brackish groundwater upgrading for unrestricted use for irrigation and sustainable agricultural production

The pollination systems of columnar cacti in the dry tropics are often thought to be highly specialized to bats. This specialization is generally inferred when flowers that are only exposed to the activity of nocturnal visitors set fruit and seed. Although moths are also common visitors to the flowers of columnar cacti at night, it is generally thought that their contribution to the reproductive success

We recorded video providing the first conclusive evidence that the black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) consumes Mojave milkweed (Asclepias nyctaginifolia) containing phytochemicals in the Ivanpah Valley, Mojave Desert, California, USA. We discuss possible chemical and biological interactions between the black-tailed jackrabbit and Mojave milkweed. We explore potential ecological effects of

Vivipary implies that seeds germinate inside the fruit still attached to the mother plant. Vivipary may constitute an adaptive trait, which may allow the quick establishment of seedlings in harsh environments. The Bromeliaceae includes ca. 3,140 species in many ecosystems, but vivipary appears to be infrequent in bromeliad epiphytes. In this research, we studied the vivipary incidence in Tillandsia

Desertification is a dynamic and complex system of land degradation. To understand it, physical and anthropogenic processes and their interrelations need to be identified. This study aimed to provide early warning information on desertification risk in the form of warning maps, using effective key indicators of land degradation in a 15-year period in the arid regions of northeastern Iran. E-SMART key

Decentralised energy from feedstock cultivated on marginal land can address various problems of many developing countries. Plants like Opuntia ficus-indica (L) Mill. (Cactaceae) and Euphorbia tirucalli L. (Euphorbiaceae) are adapted to thrive on marginal land and hence ideal for feedstock production without competing for arable land. This study explored the potential of intensive cultivation of these

Water supply and distribution are the main limiting factors to wheat (Triticum aestivum) yield in a semi-arid region of the U.S. southern Great Plains. To manage crop water demand, limited irrigation (also called deficit irrigation) is commonly practiced in the region. A 4-yr study was conducted to evaluate yield in winter wheat cultivars as influenced by the depth and amount of net soil water extraction

According to the social changes in the 1990s, livestock population in Mongolia is rapidly increasing, resulting in overgrazing and subsequent degradation of the grasslands. However, little is known about the quantitative food habits of Mongolian livestock. We evaluated the food habits of horses, cattle, and sheep and goats in the forest–steppe zone of northern Mongolia by fecal analysis. We compared

This study explored the process of pastoral livelihood transition and driving factors from 1987 to 2017 in northern Xinjiang and analyzed the internal determinants of grazing and nonfarm participation in 2017. Based on the classification tree method, livelihood strategies were classified into six types. The livelihood change rate accelerated over time, and livelihoods displayed different characteristics

Climatic change will seriously impact Mediterranean areas. Palestine, which has given forth annual grain based agriculture, is particularly vulnerable given its political and economic situation. Research is needed to build climate adaptation and resilience into agroecosystems within the same landscape that gave forth agriculture. A primary step in achieving that adaptation is to develop polycultures

Woody vegetation provides multiple services to the pastoralists in the Sahel and since the drought of 1972–1984, concerns have been raised about its persistence. Some studies have observed a decline in tree density and specific richness while others have reported a greening at a larger scale. In this study, an extensive field inventory was carried out around two deep wells in the Ferlo (Senegal). The

Debris piles and dry pools are common landscape elements along ephemeral river channels. However, their effects on resource availability and arthropod species diversity have been neglected so far. We investigated whether debris piles and pools along dry riverbeds generate nodes of environmental resources, influence microbial activity, and provide key habitats for ground-dwelling arthropods. We studied

Climate change will likely impact rainfall characteristics in particular locations; the amount, seasonality, variability and spatial patterns. In developing countries, this presents challenges for rural smallholder farmers as their livelihoods are largely based on rain-fed practices. Changes in climate patterns could increase farmers' vulnerability and the need for intervention. In this paper, we develop

Facilitation may contribute to conserving natural systems disturbed by humans. We hypothesized that the unpalatable native weed, Baccharis ulicina (Baccharis) protects palatable plants from cattle grazing in central Argentina grasslands. We tested this hypothesis through observational and experimental studies. In the observational study, we compared consumption and performance of plants growing in

Desert springs are critical for wildlife and human subsistence, but poorly studied. The springs in the northern Chihuahuan Desert region of Mexico are no exception. While groundwater overexploitation and other anthropogenic activities have endangered these waters, little is known about their water quality or biodiversity. We monitored five springs on a monthly basis for one year, and two others sporadically

Monitoring ecosystem functioning is a significant step towards detecting changes in ecosystem attributes that could be linked to land degradation and desertification in drylands worldwide. Remote sensing-based vegetation indices (VIs) and land surface albedo are two favorite indicators to monitor desertification process due to their close relationship with ecosystem status and to their increasing applicability